DesertRat

I've experienced dumping in the past, related to stress and I can tell you that you can pass everything in your digestive tract very quickly. Sometime I was certain that I had eliminated things I hadn't eaten yet.

I've experienced dumping in the past, related to stress and I can tell you that you can pass everything in your digestive tract very quickly. Sometime I was certain that I had eliminated things I hadn't eaten yet.

I think what we are seeing here is while there is controversy over what dumping is for sleevers vs. bypass is the simple fact that since the surgeries do different things with the stomach and intestines, then the actual effect of "dumping" is therefore slightly different but still the same PURPOSE for both. As we all know sleevers have nothing done with the pylori or intestines whereas bypass does. So therefore you can probably conclude that the symptoms and/or severity for dumping would be different in people with varying surgeries. But the purpose the body has for this process is the same, to get rid of food it is seeing as toxins.
I was researching RNY long before I even knew about the sleeve gastrectomy and I have read in some places that regurgitating is a symptom and other places claim it isn't. I think it's safe to say that if we believe our body is giving an act of getting rid of something we put in that it doesn't think should be in our bodies, that's along the line of a dump and we don't have to really debate what it is and what it isn't, right?
So to the OP, I'm so happy for you on your dump and that you feel more at east about another means of self control. You're doing great!!!

I've experienced dumping in the past, related to stress and I can tell you that you can pass everything in your digestive tract very quickly. Sometime I was certain that I had eliminated things I hadn't eaten yet.

I've experienced dumping in the past, related to stress and I can tell you that you can pass everything in your digestive tract very quickly. Sometime I was certain that I had eliminated things I hadn't eaten yet.

I've experienced dumping in the past, related to stress and I can tell you that you can pass everything in your digestive tract very quickly. Sometime I was certain that I had eliminated things I hadn't eaten yet.

I seriously have zero food restrictions. Early out chicken was the most difficult to eat, it needs to be moist, but by 5-6 months out, food was easy. The only foods that sit heavy in my stomach to this day is brown rice, pork chops and scrambled eggs. Steak, scallops, chicken, turkey, roast, all veggies work just fine. I eat lettuce wraps weekly, ya know meat with a romaine lettuce leaf wrapped around it. Nothing fancy.
Food just works. There's no pouch/stomach, just a regular stomach that functions the same as before. Healing varies, and food tolerances vary for each patient, but most report zero food restrictions. I can eat those foods listed above, but they "sit" heavier than other foods.

Everything in life is a trade-off. We all arrive at today as a result of millions of choices we've made over the course of our lives. Most are obvious, one doesn't wander out into traffic but it's still a choice.
When we choose to have WLS we are making a trade, a very serious trade. There are things we'll leave behind. No more binges of Cookies or ice cream, no more coffee and sweet roll breakfasts, etc. The benefits of the trade are phenomenal however, no more high blood pressure, no more diabetes, extension of life by decades and a better quality of life.
I've been at both the top and the bottom of the weight roller coaster before but never minded the fact that I had to get smaller clothes, shoes, etc. Clothes and shoes wear out anyhow so sooner or later you'll be buying replacements.
As far as people not liking you for you instead of because of your weight, entirely true but also true for the segment of society that have always been normal in weight. There will always be people that don't like you and their stated reasons may or may not be the real reasons. There are people that just don't like you. It's something we all have to deal with and not having weight as a scapegoat forces us to deal the issue.
In my late teens and into my early twenties I had to adjust to a new, more slender, body image. I'm sure that I left a few people puzzled by my responses at times. I was so used to being put down for being obese that even when I was fairly slender I tended to evaluate much of what was said to me as criticism even when it wasn't. When legitimate criticism came my way I found myself defensive because for so many years I had been criticized and teased for my weight. It took years to overcome but eventually I did.
Now, with the weight coming back over the last 20 years or so I'm not eager to revert to my earlier self image. I miss the confidence I had in my slender years and look forward to going back to that state of affairs.

All things in moderation, even moderation itself.

Everything in life is a trade-off. We all arrive at today as a result of millions of choices we've made over the course of our lives. Most are obvious, one doesn't wander out into traffic but it's still a choice.
When we choose to have WLS we are making a trade, a very serious trade. There are things we'll leave behind. No more binges of Cookies or ice cream, no more coffee and sweet roll breakfasts, etc. The benefits of the trade are phenomenal however, no more high blood pressure, no more diabetes, extension of life by decades and a better quality of life.
I've been at both the top and the bottom of the weight roller coaster before but never minded the fact that I had to get smaller clothes, shoes, etc. Clothes and shoes wear out anyhow so sooner or later you'll be buying replacements.
As far as people not liking you for you instead of because of your weight, entirely true but also true for the segment of society that have always been normal in weight. There will always be people that don't like you and their stated reasons may or may not be the real reasons. There are people that just don't like you. It's something we all have to deal with and not having weight as a scapegoat forces us to deal the issue.
In my late teens and into my early twenties I had to adjust to a new, more slender, body image. I'm sure that I left a few people puzzled by my responses at times. I was so used to being put down for being obese that even when I was fairly slender I tended to evaluate much of what was said to me as criticism even when it wasn't. When legitimate criticism came my way I found myself defensive because for so many years I had been criticized and teased for my weight. It took years to overcome but eventually I did.
Now, with the weight coming back over the last 20 years or so I'm not eager to revert to my earlier self image. I miss the confidence I had in my slender years and look forward to going back to that state of affairs.

Was sleeves may 13 2010 I tried everything nd I mean everything to loose weight before the operation I weighed 240 lbs. I size 18 Now I am half of me I weigh 120 I find it hard to believe it is me but it is I am a size 4 as to date I drink my water and coffee I find it settles food I live in small town and no support system. Family. Was really my support I went from 7 pills a day to none today well a vit on the day I was to be operated on they told me I was a diabetic and I said no. And they said yes I am and that would have ment more pills As I lost weight my energy level is so much more I just ran first 5 k. And I do kettle bells which has toned 10 and half inches And if u find uR self not loosing weight it may be inches instead of lbs good luck to all and yes I would do all over again. Drink your water and exercise

Everything in life is a trade-off. We all arrive at today as a result of millions of choices we've made over the course of our lives. Most are obvious, one doesn't wander out into traffic but it's still a choice.
When we choose to have WLS we are making a trade, a very serious trade. There are things we'll leave behind. No more binges of Cookies or ice cream, no more coffee and sweet roll breakfasts, etc. The benefits of the trade are phenomenal however, no more high blood pressure, no more diabetes, extension of life by decades and a better quality of life.
I've been at both the top and the bottom of the weight roller coaster before but never minded the fact that I had to get smaller clothes, shoes, etc. Clothes and shoes wear out anyhow so sooner or later you'll be buying replacements.
As far as people not liking you for you instead of because of your weight, entirely true but also true for the segment of society that have always been normal in weight. There will always be people that don't like you and their stated reasons may or may not be the real reasons. There are people that just don't like you. It's something we all have to deal with and not having weight as a scapegoat forces us to deal the issue.
In my late teens and into my early twenties I had to adjust to a new, more slender, body image. I'm sure that I left a few people puzzled by my responses at times. I was so used to being put down for being obese that even when I was fairly slender I tended to evaluate much of what was said to me as criticism even when it wasn't. When legitimate criticism came my way I found myself defensive because for so many years I had been criticized and teased for my weight. It took years to overcome but eventually I did.
Now, with the weight coming back over the last 20 years or so I'm not eager to revert to my earlier self image. I miss the confidence I had in my slender years and look forward to going back to that state of affairs.

Everything in life is a trade-off. We all arrive at today as a result of millions of choices we've made over the course of our lives. Most are obvious, one doesn't wander out into traffic but it's still a choice.
When we choose to have WLS we are making a trade, a very serious trade. There are things we'll leave behind. No more binges of Cookies or ice cream, no more coffee and sweet roll breakfasts, etc. The benefits of the trade are phenomenal however, no more high blood pressure, no more diabetes, extension of life by decades and a better quality of life.
I've been at both the top and the bottom of the weight roller coaster before but never minded the fact that I had to get smaller clothes, shoes, etc. Clothes and shoes wear out anyhow so sooner or later you'll be buying replacements.
As far as people not liking you for you instead of because of your weight, entirely true but also true for the segment of society that have always been normal in weight. There will always be people that don't like you and their stated reasons may or may not be the real reasons. There are people that just don't like you. It's something we all have to deal with and not having weight as a scapegoat forces us to deal the issue.
In my late teens and into my early twenties I had to adjust to a new, more slender, body image. I'm sure that I left a few people puzzled by my responses at times. I was so used to being put down for being obese that even when I was fairly slender I tended to evaluate much of what was said to me as criticism even when it wasn't. When legitimate criticism came my way I found myself defensive because for so many years I had been criticized and teased for my weight. It took years to overcome but eventually I did.
Now, with the weight coming back over the last 20 years or so I'm not eager to revert to my earlier self image. I miss the confidence I had in my slender years and look forward to going back to that state of affairs.

Shhhh! You're ruining the whole wonder drug business. But you are right. 30+ years ago I used to fast for days on end. My answer to any problem while fasting was a big old slug o' water and it always worked.

It's normal to be afraid. It is a big step but the odds are strongly in your favor. They know what they are doing and modern anesthetics are much safer than what was available in the past. The surgeon isn't going to operate unless he/she is convinced it can be done safely. Believe me, no surgeon wants to take unnecessary risks.
I've been totally anesthetized ten times, mostly for arthroscopic surgeries. It's never fun but really not that bad. The most serious operation took several hours and I woke up refreshed and in good spirits afterward. Just take it a day at a time, a step at a time.

You've come to this point because you feel that you need to act to protect your health. This is a long term commitment to yourself. Chances are that you will not experience the severe difficulty you anticipate. It won't be a walk in the park but you will find that your hunger will abate to some degree. I used to practice fasting, nothing but water for days on end. By the second day hunger was hardly an issue. You'll do fine.

Congratulations Lissa! You continue to inspire us.

I've had the same thought. I think that there are valid reasons to believe that the sleeve will be more effective in the long term than bands. Probably the best evidence is the fact that failed Lapband patients succeed when revised to the sleeve.
Here's my thinking on this. The shock of abdominal surgery, in and of itself, is enough to trigger weight loss. I quit eating after my appendectomy, probably because my digestive system was in shock from the trauma of a burst appendix, a complex operation to remove my appendix and clean out the peritoneum and the fact that I was deathly ill for the first few days afterward. I would imagine that a Lapband being installed also alters the operation of the digestive system for a time just because of the shock. That could easily be the tipping point for weight loss.
But restrictive bands have little or no effect on hormones and the sleeve is said to have a serious effect on ghrelin. This would only make sense in view of the fact that the part of the stomach removed is responsible for a significant proportion of ghrelin production. I've also read that ghrelin is thought to be related to depression. Just a crazy guesstimate by a medical layman but, IMHO, it seems to fit nicely; depression, cravings for carbs, high insulin levels in response to a high-carb diet and a body hungry for proper nutrients secreting ghrelin which triggers more depression and cravings for carbs . . . It would certainly explain why my hunger seems almost constant much of the time.
If the sleeve can reduce hunger to some extent and the restricted capacity of the stomach slows down eating it should work and be durable. It's not foolproof but I think it's probably the best bet out there for permanent weight loss. Even of my permanent results were only 50% EWL that would probably mean the difference between a healthy future and a diabetic future. If I can achieve and maintain 100% EWL I'll become the world's oldest Chippendale dancer and get rich on tips.

I've had some moments of doubt but at this point I am favoring having the procedure mid summer. Losing any tissue is a matter for serious concern. I don't give up pieces of myself lightly and, other than my wisdom teeth, an appendix, some bone spurs and a meniscus I've managed to hang onto all of my various parts for 57 years now. Unfortunately, even though I'm physically active I have several co-morbidities. Hypertension (controlled with medication), apnea and an HA1C in the pre-diabetic range are the big ticket items. I fear diabetes and do not want to go there if at all possible. According to all that I've found in my research, the VSG seems like the safest bet.
If I have the sleeve there is a possibility of regret but if I don't take some decisive action there is a much greater possibility of regret.

With any decision of lasting impact it pays to write down the pros and cons. One of the very first things I did when I started looking into WLS was write down my reasons. It goes far beyond vanity, it involves my long-term health. In my case the triggering factor are the words pre-diabetic. I know where that can lead and is likely to lead; I don't want to go down that road.
As it is today, I can hop on a bike and ride without exhaustion and I can even make good time. I take a hike around the block nearly every day and where I live, around the block exceeds two miles. I feel good most of the time and have very little restriction upon my activity. All that having been said, I want to preserve that for the future and hopefully make things better. I'm tired of having a CPAP machine and I'm tired of taking prescriptions. If I look at my medical history over the last ten years it seems that every year or two I get one more prescription. If I get off of all of them it would easily save the cost of surgery within a year; an incentive I intend to use if I have to fight the insurance company for approval.
Now, I'm giving you my reasons for two purposes; to remind myself of why I am pursuing this and also to help you remember the thought processes that have taken you up to this point. Your reasons may well be different than mine but I'd be surprised if they were any less thorough.
The only other thing I will mention is this; as the veteran of several surgeries I can state that it's never easy to face, even when the surgery is a simple, low-risk arthroscopy of the knee. It's rough to face on your own, I've been there myself having been dropped off at the hospital by a friend and picked up later in the day for a ride home. My advice to you would be to call upon whatever sources of emotional support you have available; people that will really help and that really want the best for you. Then, do what you think will be best in the long run.
Whether or not to go through with this surgery is a decision only you can make but be advised, you are up to the challenge if you choose to go through with it.